NudeAudio Move M Bluetooth speaker

The Move M produces reasonable sound quality, but distorts at high volume levels

Expert Rating

3.50/5

Pros

Attractive design & distinctive colours

Compact size

Reasonable sound quality

Cons

Distortion at maximum volume

Buttons hard to press

No AC charging adapter included

Bottom Line

The NudeAudio Move M Bluetooth speaker has an eye catching design that features a brightly coloured carrying cord and a thick, silicone sleeve. Sound quality is reasonably for its compact size, but the unit distorts at high volume levels.

Would you buy this?

Price

Californian audio company NudeAudio has just released its first range of portable Bluetooth speakers in Australia. The Move M is the mid-range model, and has an eye catching design that features a brightly coloured carrying cord and a thick, silicone sleeve. Sound quality is reasonably for its compact size, but the unit distorts at high volume levels.

Eye-catching design

The NudeAudio Move M certainly stands out for all the right reasons. The distinctive design and colour combinations immediately set it apart from most other speakers in this price range. We particularly like the brightly coloured carrying cord, but you can easily remove this if you wish. Leaving it attached means you use the speaker in a variety of ways including hanging it up, or simply laying it flat. The speaker is available in grey and mint or charcoal and coral colour variants.

NudeAudio says the flat design of the Move M is about the size and weight of an average wallet. While we don't completely agree with the assessment (my wallet is far smaller than the Move M, for example), there's no doubting that the speaker is pretty compact. It weighs just 198g, is easily held in a single hand, and the silicone sleeve around the sides makes it easy to grip. There's a speaker grill on the top, complete with a small, silicone NudeAudio logo, while the bottom is constructed from hard plastic.

The silicone sleeve does pose two issues. Firstly, it makes the buttons on the side of the Move M difficult to press. The power, volume and Bluetooth buttons require a real firm press to activate, and their soft, spongy feel isn't very ideal. The sleeve doesn't sit very well in place, and it can be a little difficult to put it back on when it's removed. We suspect you won't be removing it too often, but we certainly would have appreciated controls that are a little easier to press.

The Nude M has been designed to work with any Bluetooth audio device, but a standard 3.5mm auxiliary jack on the back corner means it can plug into any wired audio source. The unit charges via a standard micro-USB connection on the back, but Nude Audio only includes a USB charging cable in the sales package, not an AC adapter.

Decent sound, but distortion at high volumes

Setting up the NudeAudio Move M is as easy as most other Bluetooth devices, taking just a few seconds. The Move M Bluetooth will remember up to eight devices and you can reconnect to an already paired device simply by pressing the Bluetooth button. Three tiny LEDs above the Bluetooth button will light up when a Bluetooth device is connected, and will flash when the unit is in pairing mode.

The Move M uses one 40mm driver and a single bass port. Sound quality produced is reasonable for a device this size, but the speaker is let down by noticeable distortion at the highest volume level. We recommend keeping the volume set to around 75-80 per cent for the best results, though there's no way to determine exact volume levels as the device doesn't have a visible volume indicator.

The Move M is reasonably loud and can easily fill a small room with sound, so it definitely punches above its weight considering its small size. There's little stereo separation and the bass response isn't as polished as we'd have liked, but this is an issue with almost all small speaker systems, and not a black mark on the Move M alone.

At slightly lower than maximum volume, the Move M produces reasonable sound for its asking price. It's relatively clear and full and distortion is only unbearable when there is excessive bass. However, we found the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox offers slightly better bass, louder volume and better sound quality overall, even if that device is $20 more expensive in Australia.

A built-in speakerphone function means the NudeAudio Move M can be used to handle voice calls if connected to a mobile phone or smartphone. The sound is much clearer and louder than what you would get from the built-in speakerphone on most smartphones.

NudeAudio says the Move M's Lithium-ion battery will last for up to eight hours of music playback, though we managed almost seven hours before requiring a recharge. The unit takes around five hours to fully charge. The company says the speaker will retain up to 50 per cent of its charge for up to three months.

The NudeAudio Move M is available now in Australia through Myer, JB Hi-Fi and various independent stores. It retails for $79.99.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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